TAIPEI – Inamin ni coach Tab Baldwin na hindi kasama si Calvin Abueva sa kanyang original wish list para sa komposisyon ng Gilas Pilipinas.
Ngunit ikinatuwa naman na hindi siya nagkamali sa Alaska Milk forward.
“I don’t mind revealing this now because Calvin and I have talked. He is a quality kid and a very good player as we can see,” wika ni Baldwin kay Abueva.
“I can see that this is a passion for him. It has all worked out for the best and I am happy on being proven wrong,” dagdag pa nito.
Ang 6-foot-2 na si Abueva ang nagbigay ng lakas para sa Gilas Pilipinas kagaya ng kanyang ginagawa sa Aces sa PBA.
Umiskor ang dating San Sebastian Stags star na si Abueva ng 15 points at humakot ng 5 rebounds para sa 77-69 panalo ng Gilas Pilipinas kontra sa Chinese Taipei noong Linggo.
“We always know what he’s gonna get. He’s a ball of energy. He’s a solar energy. He’s amazing,” wika ni Baldwin kay Abueva.
Si Abueva ay wala sa listahan ng mga players na gustong mahiram ni Baldwin mula sa PBA.
“I wouldn’t have taken Calvin this year. He wasn’t in the original pool of 26,” sabi ng Gilas coach. “I think Calvin has some growing up to do, some learning to do. But he’s done a lot, adapted to the Gilas environment very well.”